


Cryptological Communication

by listlessness



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: First Love, Floriography, Gift Giving, M/M, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:01:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24268621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/listlessness/pseuds/listlessness
Summary: Giving another boy flowers may seem more than a little peculiar, but Anthony supposed turning to Luna for advice was probably going to render an odd suggestion anyway.
Relationships: Anthony Goldstein & Luna Lovegood, Anthony Goldstein/Neville Longbottom
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8
Collections: Fluffy as a Cloud Flash Exchange





	Cryptological Communication

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xslytherclawx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xslytherclawx/gifts).



> Written for [xslytherclawx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xslytherclawx) as part of the Fluffy as a Cloud Flash Exchange. It's been a very, very long time since I've written anything for Harry Potter, but I'm on a bit of a nostalgia kick at the moment :) I hope you enjoy it!

Anthony furrowed his brow as he looked at the flowers Luna had set before him. She held the end of two stems of gardenias together, pinched between her index finger and thumb, and deftly twisted a thin length of twine around them. Between them was a book about floristry, opened at a page about basic flower arrangement. 

'Are you sure this is going to work?' Anthony asked, leaning forward a little. His elbows dug into his knees as he picked up a sprig of heather. 'It all seems a bit...' 

Luna stopped, her hand partly reaching out for the heather. 'A bit what?' 

Without even need to look in a mirror, Anthony knew his cheeks had turned as red as the decorations that had begun to haunt certain corners of the Ravenclaw common room. At this rate, it may as well become a secondary Gryffindor common room. He had never understood his peer's love of this particular holiday, and he secretly wished he could fall ill and be whisked home (or, at the very least, the hospital wing) until the fourteenth of February had passed. 

Despite falling for some of the holiday's antics, Luna, Merlin bless her, played it all with a level of humour. Sometimes Anthony wondered if she hadn't meant to be sorted into Hufflepuff, what, with her loyalty and kindheartedness. He occasionally felt a pang of guilt over his involvement in minor teasing her in years gone past. 

'You know. Silly.' 

He would have wanted to keep his voice down, even if they weren't in the library. Madam Pince seemed to loathe any and all holidays that interfered with the library's studious ambience. 

'Silly how?' 

'Like... I dunno. Does Neville even like flowers?' 

The heather was plucked from his fingers. Luna slid it between the gardenias and wrapped the twine back around the stems to encase it. It had been charmed to keep the flowers together, even during delivery. 

'He likes herbology, doesn't he?' 

'That doesn't mean he likes _flowers_ , though. Girls like flowers. Neville's not a girl.' 

'Whoever said only girls can receive flowers?' Luna asked, rather diplomatically. 'Wouldn't you like someone to send you flowers?' 

'Cor, Luna.' 

'What if Neville were to send you flowers tomorrow? Would you be upset?' 

The blush on Anthony's cheeks had only grown hotter. Bowing his head, he picked up the rest of the flowers. Purple lilac, to complement the heather, Luna had said. Jonquil, because Anthony thought they looked happy. Fern leaves, to stabilise the flowers themselves and add some greenery. Apparently that was important. 

Luna held the flowers up and directed Anthony in how to finish wrapping the twine. Next was the ribbon, red and gold and enchanted to bring joy and success. Even if his feelings weren't reciprocated, Anthony still wanted Neville to have a good day- or, at the very least, until the spell wore off. Luna had said it would last a few hours after delivery. 

Setting the flowers down on his lap, Anthony finished tying the ribbon. This all felt like it was a thing that girls did, between brewing love potions and trying to enchant their hair so it curled and fell around their faces just right. He'd had all of two seconds thought of trying to accidentally bump into Neville in one of the greenhouses before he'd shied away and decided to leave it to the hands of fate. 

Apparently Luna was playing the role of fate. 

'Should I sign it?' he asked, a little uneasy, as he slid in a card that read simply _For Neville_ into the ribbon. He didn't want some Gryffindor girl thinking it was for her. 

'If you'd like. It might be nice.' 

Anthony wasn't sure if he agreed. But, wanting to at least give some indication that yes, it was for Neville, and no, it wasn't from some well-meaning relative taking pity on him, he quickly scratched a small _-A.G._ in the corner. 

'Now take these up to the Owlery to be delivered tomorrow morning.' 

'What if someone sees me?' 

Luna rolled her eyes, though the gesture was embedded in kindness. 'They should really be minding their own business, shouldn't they?' 

Anthony couldn't find any argument to counter that. 

* 

The following morning, Anthony tried to seat himself so he had view of Neville. It was tough, with the throng of students in the way, giddy over Valentine's and with a complete disregard for his own inner torment. As much as he had hoped Luna would seat herself beside him, he had equally tried to avoid it. Instead, she was seated several seats away from him, though she did wave and smile over her pumpkin pasty. 

The owls descended shortly after eight-thirty. A cacophony of noise erupted, as it always did, with owls hooting and students yelling in delight. Chocolates, cards, stuffed bears and flowers fell onto laps, plates and tables, quickly to be snatched up by eager adolescents. 

Anthony waited. His eyes remained on Neville, though he could only catch a glimpse of him through their classmates. But it was enough, just enough, to see a large tawny owl swoop down and drop the bouquet clean in Neville's hands as he laughed and gestured to Dean Thomas. 

At first, Neville seemed confused. Stunned, even. He looked about, over at Dean and then Seamus, and finally at the bouquet again. As Anthony held his breath, he watched as Neville went to hand the bouquet to one of the girls seated nearby, likely thinking it had been intended for them. Before they could be snatched away, though, Neville finally looked at the card. 

He seemed to repeatedly read it. Biting his lower lip, Anthony twisted his hands beneath the table, his cereal having grown soggy. 

Neville looked up. He peered around, but Anthony went to stare at his bowl, not even daring to catch a glimpse. 

He was so invested in avoiding eye contact, that he didn't notice the owl swooping overhead. It wasn't until that milk splashed over his robes that Anthony realised a bouquet had been dropped right on the remains of his breakfast. 

These weren't the rather mundane flowers Anthony had selected with Luna's help. These looked like they had been found in one of the greenhouses. He could recall some of the names from his classes; moly, vervain, niffler's fancy, with sprigs of star grass. 

'Blimey, Anthony, who's keen on you?' 

Staring at the flowers, Anthony distractedly wiped the milk of his robes. He wasn't even sure how to start replying to his classmates. He briefly offered Luna a look, before picking up the milky flowers. The ribbon and twine was soaked, and the card, carefully slid in between the stems, had become slightly sodden. Even so, he was able to dry it off with a serviette and open it up. 

_Hi._

_Hope you like them. I picked them myself._

_N.L._

Looking up, the card clutched in one hand, Anthony saw Neville meet his gaze for just a breath, before he turned away and covered his face with the flowers Anthony had sent to him. 

'Oh, someone special,' Anthony replied. 

He slid the card into his pocket and dried off the flowers. Maybe there really was something to be said about learning flower arrangement. 


End file.
